An Internet Protocol (Internet Protocol, IP) address may be used as an Identifier (ID) of a user equipment and an ID of a network apparatus in an IP network, and may also be used as an ID for forwarding of an IP packet; therefore, configuration of the IP address is a core of an entire IP network. The IP address includes an IPv4 address and an IPv6 address. Taking the IPv4 address as an example, the IPv4 address is an address with 32-bit binary code, and includes a network ID and a host ID. Different network IDs are configured for network segments of different gateways, and all the hosts with the same network ID are mounted under the same network segment of the same gateway. Therefore, the IP address is not only uniquely configured, but also a corresponding network ID needs to be planned according to the network segment of an accessed gateway.
One of the current networking manners is as follows: a host is connected to an access router by using a Point to Point Protocol (PPP), in which the access router is a router located on a network periphery (edge), and the host communicates with remote servers located on different network segments through the access router. A PPP interface of the host has an IP address of the PPP interface. The IP address of the PPP interface of the host is directly allocated for the host by an upper-level apparatus of the host such as a router through PPP negotiation in current bearer network deployment, or an IP address management system of a bearer network indicates that the router allocates the IP address of the PPP interface for the host through the PPP. In addition, in many fields, the host needs to be managed by a special server, and the server identifies the host through a maintenance IP address and further maintains the host.
The inventors find that the prior art at least has the following problem that a client may not automatically obtain the maintenance IP address allocated by the remote server.